


Give You Back the Open Sky

by libraryseraph



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, Future Fic, Mind Control, Minor Character Death, Multi, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-02
Updated: 2013-04-02
Packaged: 2017-12-07 06:47:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,404
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/745521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/libraryseraph/pseuds/libraryseraph
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>My femslash Feb fic from this year.<br/>When the new world is created, Jane thinks she finally has what she's always wanted. But unfortunately, her insecurities might let something else back in. Will the people who are always there for her be able to pull her back from the brink?<br/>(also this wasn't big enough to get in the tags, but there's a tiny mention of sibling abuse in there)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Give You Back the Open Sky

Jane  
I drop my suitcases inside the front hall of our new house. Whatever winning conditions created this new world for all of us also created us homes perfectly crafted for our lives. I turn around to ask my two companions what they think, and realize they haven't followed me inside. I look out the door, and see then lying on the lawn, apparently distracted by the grass. Calliope is spread put on her front, running her fingers through the grass. They look so perfect together, I wonder if there's even a place for me anymore. Calliope waves to me, and I go over and crouch down next to her.  
"Is it what you expected?" She smiles up at me, her skin just a few shades of green away from the grass  
"It's so soft. And everything's so bright! Look at all the coloUrs, Jane!" I look around. It just looks like an ordinary summer day to me, but i know how amazing that must be for Calliope. I look over at Roxy, who's spread-eagled on her back next to Calliope.  
"Are you having fun too?" she grins up at me, lighting up her whole face and nearly stopping my heart.  
"Janey, when am I ever not having fun?"  
"I'll take that as a yes, then" I sit down between the two of them, all thoughts of unpacking temporarily gone. "thank you for coming here with me"  
"oh, thank yoU for letting me come with yoU" I take my hand and rest it on her cheek. The rounded top of her cheekbone rests perfectly in the palm of my hand. I flop onto my back in between the two of them. "we really should be unpacking"  
Roxy screws her face up like she's thinking about something important. "No, i'm pretty sure that the most important thing we could be doing right now is sitting out here and waching the clouds"  
I decide to listen for her. This is the first time in a few years that things haven't been urgent all the time, and it is nice to just enjoy it. 

Later than night, I'm unpacking in my bedroom. I can hear loud crashing noises coming from downstairs. I'm considering going to see what they're doing, when my hand brushes something hard and curved. I grab it and pull it out. It's my old tiaratop. I haven't even seen it in years- I stopped using it shortly before I entered the medium to make Roxy feel better. As the game continued and I found out the truth about the Crocker company, I had hidden it in a corner of my house to keep it out of my life forever. There was no reason for it to be here at all. I can hear Roxy and Calliope talking and laughing downstairs. Can I make them that happy? Can i even give them anything? As I stare at the tiaratop, I began to notice how beautiful it is. The rich red colour, the delicate curves and points, the symmetry... It almost seems to whisper to me. I press the gem in the middle, and the tiara lights up. I'm not nervous as I raise it to my forehead, instead a deep contentment flows through me. I wore it when I was happy, when I still lived with my dad and didn't have to worry about aliens or different universes or being a bad girlfriend. If I put it on, I bet I'll be happy again. A crash resounds from downstairs and I drop the tiaratop. It lies on the floor, still gleaming seductively at me. I shudder and kick the tiara top under the bed.  
I stick my head around the corner of the stairs, and stick my best smile on.  
"Are you two alright? I swear i heard the most godawful crash from down there!" Roxy sticks her head back up into the stairwell.  
"it's ok! we just dropped a thing!" she pauses "we sure could use a burly hardboiled detective like urself to help us" she waggles her eyebrows  
I grin back. I don't have to worry about pleasing Roxy "well, my services don't usually come cheap, but for a gorgeous dame like yourself, I'm sure we could work something out" 

Calliope  
I'm picking up Roxy's tools when Jane and Roxy come back down. Roxy comes right over to me and wraps her arms around me.  
"Hello there, gorgeous" she says from somewhere near my stomach. I ruffle her hair lightly. She's very warm and soft. I run my finger through her hair one last time, and then release her.Jane is already kneeling on the floor, picking up bizarre tools and dropping them in. I kneel down, trying to get my face on a level with hers.  
"are yoU all right, dear?" she looks back up at me. Her expression is too complicated for me to read it yet, but she looks upset.  
"Well, I was fine before, but all of a sudden I have this doozy of a headache!" I take her hand in mine. She tenses a little, but I don’t pull away. That’s a perfectly natural reaction to my hand.  
"Perhaps yoU shoUld go to bed?" she smiles at me, and I'm still not used to being smiled at, so I stare at my knees instead. Jane releases my hand.  
"I'm sure I'm going to be fine. I'm probably just excited from all this ruckus"  
"oh yes, the rUckUs! sUch a lovely word, so many Us"  
Jane drops the last tool into the box.  
"There! What are these things even for, Roxy?"  
Roxy grins  
"Important sciencey stuff. Troubling the dark secrets of the universes, simple stuff” she shrugs and the movement of her shoulders under her pink sweater is so natural that I want to pull her up against me and never let her go. I’m still afraid of how she’d react, so I just put my hand on her shoulder instead. Jane swallows a little, I can see it bobbing in the shape of her throat. She pushes herself up to her feet.  
“I have to go to bed” Roxy’s eyes widen.  
“janey, c’mon, the party’s just getting started”  
“I’m just tired”  
Roxy nods. “well, I suppose u need ur beauty sleep”  
She is so wonderful. I get up to follow Jane. When she turns around, I try to make myself look as small as possible.  
“Jane, is there anything I can do? What I mean to say is… are yoU troUbled by my appearance?” She starts back a little.  
“No, oh heavens, no! You’ve always been such a good friend to me, and I could never let anything else get in the way of that.” She pats me on the arm and runs up the stairs. I rub the place where she touched. I love Jane, but I’m confused by her. I love both her and roxy more than I’d ever dared to dream I could love, but I can’t tell how much they love me back, and I don’t think it’s something you can just ask. I decide it’s time to go to bed too. in my room, I pull the biggest piece of furniture I can find in front of the door (just in case) and sit down on the edge of the bed. I’ve never had a real bed before, it’s awfully soft and springy, and I’m not sure how it’s actually supposed to work. When I push down hard, something goes gloink inside. There were beds in some of the fanfics I read, but they were never really being used for sleeping. In the end, I just lie on my back with the blankets awkwardly thrown over me. Somebody pushes on the door from outside.  
“Callie? Callie, honey, did you block your door?” I get up and shift the dresser out of the way. Roxy steps into my room. “what’s with the dresser?”  
I look down at our feet. Hers are small and long and brown, covered in soft skin. Mine are massive and green, covered with protruding spiky bones and the toes just curved green claws “I jUst thoUght it would be safest if I slept that way”  
“callie, hes gone forever, u know that" She puts her hands in mine and leans into my face. I close my massive claws around her small calloused hands and she gives me a small squeeze back.  
"it's jUst that, before bad things woUld always happen as soon as i got happy, and I'm so happy right now. something has to go wrong" I jump a little as she puts her arms around me. Her hands just barely meet in the middle of my back "if ur really that worried, how bout i stay in here and make sure nothing bad happens?”  
I nod. She takes my hand and leads me over to the bed. “u get comfortable and ill go get janey”  
I pull my feet up under me. The bed is pretty big, but I’m not actually sure how we’re all going to fit onto it. I’m trying to push myself into the corners as much as I can when Roxy gets back.  
“she must be asleep already. She didn't answer.” She puts a pillow in the crook of my neck and rests her head on it, pushing the rest of her body into the spaces around mine. I tentatively put my hand on her back. She wriggles into it and sighs into the hard bone over my chest "g'night, Callie" I put my other hand up around her head and let it settle there when she doesn't flinch.  
"Good night, Roxy"

Jane  
I wake drenched in sweat and with my head throbbing. For a second, I'm not sure where i am and I think my dad will open the door any minute too see how I'm doing. Then I remember. I try to call for Roxy or Calliope, but my throat doesn't seem to be working. When I try to stand up, my legs give up and I fall out of bed. My head is killing me, and I can't think straight. I raise my hand to my head and feel something hard on my forehead. I pull at it, but it doesn't seem to want to come off. When I tug it hard, it gives up. Even in the dim light, I can see my tiara top. I drop it to the ground and stumble out of my room. I have to get out of here. I hit my fist against Calliope's door. It's opened by Roxy, tousled and blinking. of course they would be sleeping together already. Of course. I nearly go back to my room, but I'm too scared.  
"janey, is something wrong?" I open my mouth, ready to tell her everything.  
"I had a nightmare" Why did I say that? I push my lips together to keep anything else from escaping. Roxy steps closer to me. Even in the dim light is can see her face wrinkling with concern. "is something wrong?"  
Completely against my will i feel my face forcing into a smile.  
"Oh, everything's just fine!" i didn't mean to say that. I can't move, i can't say anything, I can't force my face out of this awful grin. I feel sweat starting to break out on my palsm and along my brow. Roxy is looking at me with a mixture of concern and horror. She takes a step closer to me "u dont look ok"  
When her arms go around me, I feel my body relax. I cautiously reach my hands up around her back, careful to make sure I'm the only one moving them, and lean into her chest  
"can I stay here tonight?" My voice is tiny and scared, like a little kid's, but at least it's mine. Roxy reaches a finger under my chin and gently tilts my head up, leaning down and pressing her lips to mine. I open my lips to receive her kiss, letting her tongue slip into my mouth. I relax a little and reach one hand up towards her chest  
OBEY  
The word splits into my head like a thunderbolt. I jerk away in surprise. Roxy's hands release me.  
"oh janey, i'm so sorry i thought i was making you feel better" her hands are reaching out vaguely, hesitating to come any closer. My head is indistinct, and i can't focus properly. The dark hallway is tilting and swooping around me. I put my hands out and grab onto Roxy. I have to make her understand.  
"it's not you...I'm okay...I'm okay"  
She wraps her hand around my wrists and starts leading me towards my bedroom. I pull against her. "I don't want to sleep alone. Please don't leave"  
She moves in to hug me again "janey, i'm not gonna leave. come sleep with callie and me"  
I follow her back to Calliope's room. Roxy walks over to the bed and pushes at the indistinct form taking up most of it.  
"push over gorgeous, we've got company" Calliope opens her eyes and sits up. Her eyes are faintly luminous in the dark: not reflecting light, but actually glowing.  
"Is that jane? Hello, jane!" the delight in her voice breaks through to me. She really does want me. I move over to the bed, and take one of her massive hands in mine. I rub my fingers accros the smooth bones that run across the back of her hand and branch up into bulky spikes at the wrist and the base of the finger. She raises one hand to my face: incredibly slowly and carefully, as if she's still afraid.  
"janey had a bad dream" says Roxy, answering a question neither of us had asked. I nod weakly and lie down. I feel the bed shift as Roxy leans over and kisses me. Calliope lies down between the two of us and loops one of her massive arms around me, pushing me up against her side. There are no spikes on her side, just the hard curves of her ribs and her rough, pebbly skin. It's a weird sensation but in a good way. I reach one hand up over the plateau of her chest, and find Roxy's hand. I wait until he breathing steadies and then whisper "Calliope?" I feel her shift sleepily towards me  
"yes, darling?" I lean into her side,and take a breath  
"do you think i'm good enough?"  
Her arm tightens around me "jane lovely, yoU're downright spectacUlar. don't ever worry aboUt being good enoUgh."  
She sounds downright shocked at the idea, and that makes me feel a little better. I kiss her side,and try to close my eyes and sink into sleep. 

Roxy  
Somebody is poking my back. I roll over, attempting to escape it, but the poking follows me. I throw my arms up over my head and open my eyes "aright, keep ur pants on". The figure that was poking me resolves into calliope, one finger extended. I smile. "wow, u must have rly missed me. dont worry, im up now."  
Calliope stares down at her hands "i can't find jane. i jUst woke Up and she was gone. What if something happened to her?"  
I lean forwards and cup her head in my hands, gently pushing it up. "nothin happened. she probs just got tired of my snoring and went 2 go sleep in her bed" she looks at my face. "bUt what if she got hUrt and it's my faUlt? what if he's not as gone as we thoUght he was?"  
"callie" she avoids my gaze "callie, look at me. thats bullshit and u no it. we killed him. i did that whole voidy bullshit thing and kept u safe and then i yelled out ur name and u showed up all like 'not today motherfucker' and he was all like 'oh shit its the police' and u did ur whole musey glitter space thing and blasted him in2 smitheroons. ur fine" i rap gently on er head "it's only u in there. now lets go find janey and say good mornin." when she still doesn't move, i lean forwards and press my face into her chest, pressing my lips to her exposed breastbone and trailing kisses down it. She lets out a surprised laugh, amd takes my hand. 

Janey isn't in her bedroom. The sheets are rumpled, but cold. Callie looks at me "she probably got Up already"  
I smile "wow, janey better watch out bfore u take her whole detective shtick" Callie smiles when I say that. I know she still thinks she's a monster, that she still thinks she shouldn't be alive. She hasn't been smiled at or talked to or touched enough, so i want to be smiling at her and talking to her and touching her all the time. I tap her hand as i move out of the bedroom, and she follows me downstairs. The smell hits me on the first step: a heavy brew of baking and icing. I inhale deeply, but something about this seems wrong. I hurry down the rest of the stairs, suddenly frightened. The kitchen is full of baking. Massive sheet cakes covered in icing sit next to piles of perfect cupcakes covered in swirling mounds of icing. Around the oven, the counter is covered with baking supplies, neatly organized into sections. Jane stands in the middle of it all, humming tunelessly. She's facing away from me, and a hundred horror movies flash through my head as I reach out to tap her shoulder. She spins around and smiles at me.  
"Oh Roxy, I didn't know you were up!"  
She sounds so plucky and happy, i almost don't notice anything wrong until I look at her forehead. My heart drops right out the bottom of my torso when I do. She's wearing her tiaratop, sitting there gleaming like blood against her soft skin. When i see it, i start noticing other things. Her unfocused eyes, gazing unsteadily at a point somewhere beyond my head. Her strange slack smile, like she just forgot to change her expression. I reach out to take her hand "Janey" i try to keep my voice quiet, so whatever's controlling the tiaratop doesn't notice. "Janey, is something wrong?"  
She just grins wilder, and i flinch a little. "Why Roxy, how could anything possibly be wrong! I'm so happy right now!" I don't know what to say to that. How do you tell the girl you love that she shouldn't be happy? Calliope steps forwards too, and i grab onto her arm, using it to support myself. Jane grins even wider at that for some reason. "Well, aren't you two just the cutest thing!"  
I take a step forwards and reach my other hand out to her "We need you to complete the set" I try to make my voice sound as normal as possible, to break through to the real Jane. I see a brief fkash of doubt on her face, but it's soon replaced by that smile. "Whyever would you need me? Aren't you happy enough on your own?"  
Calliope clears her throat a little. "that's not trUe. i need yoU to be happy, and i'm sUre roxy agrees. i... i... love yoU."  
Jane doesn't respond, I can see her face twisting against something. Her hands slowly rise to her head, spasming and jerking. They hesitate a little, and then rip the tiaratop off. Calliope steps forward and catches Jane as she falls. I rush to their side.  
"janey!" i clutch one of her shaking hands in mine, and try to rub it into stillness. Jane clutches me like she's drowning. Calliope carefully lifts Jane up. Jane's shaking and gasping. I reach out and cup her face in my hands "can u hear me?" she takes a few more deep breaths  
"I'll be fine. It's gone now." her face folds up a little "She was in my head" Calliope bends her head down towards Jane, and Jane looks up and rests her head on her collarbone. I move next to them and put my arms around them, stretching to reach.  
"u got her out of ur head, though. it's ok now." It has to be okay. We're just starting up again, and I won't let something bad happen. Jane smiles up at me weakly. "I guess it is. If we get rid of that thing, it shouldn't happen again. Will you do the honors, Calliope?"  
Calliope nods, and gingerly picks up the tiaratop. She tightens her grip, and the tiaratop shatters into a thousand bright red pieces. Jane worms her way out of Calliope's arms and pulls the dustpan out from under the sink. She carefully sweeps up the pieces and drops them in the garbage can.  
"i'll use a window to dump that in2 the furthest ring l8r" Jane laughs at that, a strange mixture of amusement and relief. It's contagious, and soon Callie and I are laughing too. I sit down next to jane and kiss her, running my tongue along her teeth and her full lips. She's smiling when I pull back, and she raises her head to Callie's. Callie flushes a brilliant florescent green when Jane's lip meet her teeth, and I can see her tongue flicker in and out. I'm so glad they love each other: it's really the only thing that could make this any better. When Callie and Jane break apart, I push my lips to Callie's. her blushing is heating her normally cool skin from underneath. Her teeth prick a little, and her long dry tongue flickers in and out of my mouth. I lean out and smile at both of them. "aint we gr8?" both of them smile and nod. Jane gets up and stretches. "I'm going to go take a shower" i hear her humming as she walks upstairs, but it's real humming, not gross tuneless brainwashed humming. I lean back into Callie.  
"did i do that alright?"  
I raise my hand to her face and run one finger across the flat green circle emblazoned there  
"u did wonderfully. u passed ur makeout test w/ flying colors. now lets go surprise janey in the shower"  
She blushes at that again, an adorable brilliant green. "wow, really? i mean, blimey, i never thoUght, i mean"  
i smile at her "u dont have 2 do it if u dont want 2"  
"no, it soUnds like fUn" 

I undress and change into a bathrobe in my room, and fluff my hair up a little. When I go out into the hall, Callie's waiting there. She's wearing a big fluffy bathrobe and smiling sheepishly. I take her hand and lead her towards the bathroom. I knock on the door "heey janey, i think maybe i left something in the bathroom?" we're both giggling like little kids making prank calls at a slumber party. I ease the door open and look inside "janeeeyyy"  
Callie peeks in over my shoulder, and then her claws suddenly tighten on my back. I look at the shower and see what she, with her much higher vantage point, saw before me. The shower is running empty. Jane's clothes are strewn across the floor, but she's not there  
"jane!" i run to the shower and rip the curtain open as if she could be hiding behind it. Behind me, Callie makes a low animal noise of pain. I turn to see her run out of the room hard enough to leave scratch marks in the floor. I'm torn, my hand still clutching the shower curtain. I turn and run after calliope, whispering an apology to Jane under my breath.

Calliope  
I hole up in the attic at the top of the house. I discarded my fluffy bathrobe somewhere on the steps and I'm naked now, but it doesn't matter. I was trying to build something new and good, but now it's all coming down around me. I feel the same way i always used to before, waking up to find my own claws and teeth covered in drying red blood and the softer, more vulnerable parts next to my bones covered with thin lime green scratches covered with red scabs. I have the same feeling of hopelessness, of helplessness. I curl up into and even smaller ball, trying to shove everything out. i hear footsteps on the stairs, and the door opens.  
"Callie?" it's Roxy, her voice thick with something "Callie honey, not u 2" I feel her small hands land on my arm, and rub up and down the hard bone on my forearm. I open my eyes a tiny bit, barely letting myself peek out. Roxy is kneeling in front of me, her face a mess of clear human tears and smudged makeup. "please. janey's gone. i need u 2 be ok"  
"bUt it might be my faUlt"  
She jumps on me at that, heedless of my spikes or my arms and legs folded up in front of me. Her arms wrap tightly around me, and her face is so close to mine that i can see every hair on her head and all the little pores in her skin. "no. it isnt ur fault. it isnt even vaguely close 2 being ur fault. u r not 2 blame. u couldnt possibly be 2 blame. ur 2 perfect and wonderful 4 it 2 be ur fault"  
I manage to smile at that, and roxy smiles, for a moment before her expression turns serious again.  
"we have 2 get her back. i bet i know who took her. its the batterwitch. shes been angling for jane like the big gross fish alien she is since day 1. she's got some sort of weird alien mom complex going on when it comes 2 janey. she think shes finally won, but she hasnt. because we're coming and 2gether im sure we can kick her ass."  
I stand up, grazing my head against the ceiling as i do so, and nod

Roxy  
I've been imagining the Batterwitch's fortress ever since i was old enough to know what had happened to my mom. It's even more impressive than my wildest dreams, all twisting cherry red spines and spikes. Aside from that, this isn't much like i imagined. I'd always thought it would be Dirk or maybe Jane with me, but instead it's Callie, her eyes wide. Also, in my dreams, I was only ever avenging my mother, but now there's something even more important; Janey's in there, my janey, and I need to get her out safe.  
Callie drapes one arm around me and gives me a gentle squeeze.  
"are yoU ready?"  
I squeeze her back "it doesn't matter if im ready. Janey's in there and we have to get her out" I'm actually scared enough to pee, but I can't tell her that Callie nods and checks her wand fir ammo. I give her had one final squeeze and start walking. The doors swing open before we reach them, which just makes everything a hundred times creepier. In the shadows, I can see a spiky throne, with a figure sitting on it. I step forwards and clear my throat. "Give Jane back, you batterwitch! Your reign of terror is over!" i tried to sound like my mom, but I just sound little and scared and stupid. The figure on the throne laughs. I tighten my hands around my gun and step forwards. i know that laugh. I take another step, and then another, and now I'm running into the darkness as if I can stop it from being true if I move fast enough. The walls light up dimly, illuminating everything in this strange red light. I can see the throne clearly, but it takes me a minute to process it. It's Jane sitting on the throne, my Jane. She's wearing a tight black leotard marked with phosphorescent red lines and a bunch of glowing red jewelry. Her hair's grown, even though she's only been gone for a few hours, falling past her shoulders in loops and tangles, and she's wearing her tiaratop, which has branched off into elaborate glowing tendrils that coil around her head like deadly tentacles. I tighten my grip on my gun "jane... jane, u dont have 2 be doing this. i guess maybe u had 2 pretend or something, but its over. u can come home now" Calliope stands next to me, extending one hand, but jane just stares at us, and then giggles. "You think this is a game? You think this is some sort of joke?" She gets off her throne, spreading her arms wide "I'm right where I belong" I open my mouth to protest, but before I can, Callie steps forwards.  
"no, it isn't! yoU belong the place yoU choose to be, with the people who love yoU. yoU didn't choose to be here. yoU chose to hold my hand and not let go when yoU saw me. yoU chose to come with Us. yoU can't possibly be happier here."  
Jane snorts derisively "Of course I can be happier here. At least I'm needed here! The two of you should just go home and stay with each other" that hits me hard. Maybe it's not really Jane saying those things, but it must have dredged up something from the bottom of her heart to find that  
"im sorry" there's a loud laugh, and that's when she steps out of the shadows. The batterwitch is a lot shorter than I expected, only a little bit taller than me. Her hair is wild and tangled, and her horns arc up through the air.  
")(onestly, )(ow long is t)(is borin )(eart to )(eart gonna go on? I'm a busy woman"  
I level my gun at her heart. "just give us back janey and we'll be gone"  
She rolls her eyes "no way. how aboat s)(e culls you instead and t)(en maybe i can fin-ally get SOM-E P-EAC-E AND QUI-ET" she turns to Jane. "jane, darling" her smile is sickly sweet "cull t)(em"  
And Janey, my janey nods and moves towards us with a smile on her face

Jane  
 **OBEY. She gives the command, and i listen. That's what I'm here for. The big green one runs past me, up towards )(er Imperiosness. It doesn't matter. I'll deal with her later. I run towards the other one** (roxy) **with my fork extended. I'll kill her first** (you can't kill roxy) **and then move on. She blocks my movements, but she's impaired by caring** (I care too). **I only have to do my duty as the heiress. Everything has been decided for me** (but that's wrong). **It's so much better that way** (no it isn't). **The outer tine of my fork grazes her side and draws blood** (NO!). **It's red** (stop) **on red** (enough) **on red** (no!). I can't let myself hurt Roxy **(I have to kill her)**. I fight against the throbbing in my head **(I'm the heiress)** , pushing myself back to my normal self **(OBEY)**. I bite down on my lip hard enough to draw blood and force myself up through.  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" My head is still throbbing, and I look at Roxy, tugging at my tiaratop. "...help me" She springs forwards almost immediately, and starts pulling. I drop my trident, not quite trusting my body and help her. The tiaratop doesn't want to come off, and i swear it feels like it's rooted into my head. roxy gives an extra tug and it comes away, breaking into pieces in her hands. She looks at me, eyes wide, and i see the blood seeping out of her side "Oh, Roxy, I'm so sorry"  
She bursts into tears and flings herself into my arms "what r u apologizing for, dummy? Its not ur fault" she's running her hands up and down me, as if trying to reassure herself that I'm solid. She kissed me over and over, punctuating her words "i - was- so -worried - about -you!" I wipe her tears with my hands and pull myself away from her arms. She looks confuse when I pick up my trident, until I gesture up the stairs. "I think it's time we finished what you came here to do. She took my mind away from me, and I'm not going to stand for it!" Roxy takes my hand."lets do it” 

The Condesce and Calliope are at the top of a tall flight of red stairs. Their battle has wreaked havoc on the platform: long scratches from Calliope's claws and the Condesce's trident fighting for space with scorch mars from Calliope's wand and the Condesce's powers. Calliope goes skidding across the room, her bones making a noise like nails on a chalkboard "Calliope!" I call, suddenly terrified that I've good as killed her. She straightens up, and I can see that, although her skin is scorched and her clothes are ripped away, she seems unharmed. The Condesce looks over at me, and i feel my mind trying to bend itself into a shape that'll please her. Roxy squeezes my hand, and my desperate mental gymnastics change into something different.  
"Get away from her!" the two of us run towards the fight, moving almost in sync. The Condesce swirls and shoots a blast of greenish energy at us. I leap over it easily and Roxy ducks under it. The Condesce beckons with one finger and I feel myself slide towards her. She abs me and looks me over dismissively. I feel my mind go completely limp under her gaze.  
"reely? )(onesly, it's s)(rimply IMPOSSIBL--E to find good )(elp t)(ese days. You're more troububble t)(an you're wort)(" she tilts my head back and pulls back her trident. I know I'm about to die, but I can't do anything. Her hand plunges down, and then everything happens at once. I here a bang and a screech like nails on a chalkboard, and I'm lying on my back on the floor with Calliope's arm blocking the trident. I realize the bang must have been Roxy distracting her so Calliope could get in there and save my life. The Condesce hisses and pulls back for a second blow, casually tossing Calliope aside with a wave of her hand. My body moves almost on its own, closing my eyes and thrusting forwards. I feel my trident meet resistance and there's a loud intake of breath. I open my eyes, and the Condesce is stuck on my trident. She looks more surprised than in pain. She reaches down and wrenches my trident out and tosses it o one side  
"I'm not t)(at easy to cull, unfor-tuna-tley for you"  
I look up at her. She might kill me but she's not going to take my mind again. She stalks towards me and I force myself up.  
"nice defiance. It mig)(t be adorabubble if it wasn't so PAT)(-ETIC"  
I can see Roxy behind the Condesce. When she sees me looking, she nods a little. She has a plan and if I can just keep the Condesce talking, it'll all be okay.  
"i mean, i was givin you a c)(ance to not think like a stupid )(uman anemonemore. reely, you oug)(ta be t)(ankin me"  
She makes me sick. I clench my fists.  
That's when three shots ring out in quick succession. Her legs buckle and pinkish blood bubbles out of her chest. She doesn't looked pained or upse, just vaguely disbelieving. She stares up at me, and crumples to the floor. I back away from her body, and run towards Roxy and Calliope. They meet me halfway, wrapping me up in a giant crushing hug.  
"oh jane, please tell me yoU don't believe those bloody stUpid things yoU said!" my memories of the past hours are a reddish blur. I don't want to think about it  
"what things?" Roxy winds her arms around me  
"just, things bout how u didnt belong or how u didnt think we needed u. janey, janey look at me. its not true. u complete us. ur like some sort of mythical hero of makin us lonely girls happy and kissin us"  
I clutch her hands tightly "you really think so? Gosh, I'm touched" I kiss her hands, and they flutter delicately against my lips "let's go home" 

Calliope  
A little while later, we're back home. We're all cleaned up and sitting in the kitchen while Roxy, her side bandaged, cuts Jane's hair over the sink. Jane brings one hand up to cup Roxy's free hand, and the gesture is so small and intimate I have to look away for a bit. Jane comes by and plants her lips on my head after Roxy's done cutting her hair. She looks like herself now  
"you were so brave!" she smiles up at me. Her hand gently traces the three pale scratches on my forearm bone where I blocked the blow. "that must have hurt awfully" i shake my head " i didn't actUally feel it that mUch. it jUst felt a little strange" she kisses me again. I'm not sure how much more kissing i'll be able to handle. She spins one of our chairs around so she can sit facing me. I move a little closer, and Roxy sits down next to me. i reach one arm around her and she leans right into my side  
"so what do u wanna do 2day?"  
Jane smiles "well, we could get a movie, or go out to see the woods, because you two have never seen woods, and that's just ridiculous! Or we could go see Dirk and Jake or your mom, or I could teach you guys to bake or we could do cosplay or-" Roxy bursts out laughing  
"OMG slow down! u r going like a mile a minute and we're still stuck here like puttering along like fucking turtles on wheel or somethin. It's only for one day"  
Jane gently taps her on the head "I know that, silly. I'm just incredibly tickled about how much we could do!"  
I smile "I know what yoU mean. i finally have the life i've always wanted, and i don't want to have to wait to start it"  
Roxy grabs both our hands "then let's go!"


End file.
